Improvement in brick-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;`

CHARLES D. V'RIGHTINGTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRICK-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 101,696, dated April 5, 1870.

Figure l is a front elevation of my improved machine, showing the driving-gear, the pugmill, the off-bearer, and various other parts.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view on line :r a: of iig. l, showing the mold-wheel, the offbearer, and the devices for operating the same, and the scraper for cleaning' the surface of the mold-wheel.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation, showing the driving-gears, the vertical shattnupon which the cams are placed which operate the various parts of the machine, and the togglejoint for pressing the bricks.

Figure 4C is a plan or top view of the moldwheel and the driving-gears.

Figure 5 is an end view of the cylinder over which the endless belt or apron passes which carries the bricks from the machine, and the rack which operates the same, together with the ratchet-wheel and pawl for controlling the motion of the cylinder.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section of the olf-bearer.

. Figure 7 is a plan view of the eccentric or s cam which gives motion to the off-bearer.

Figure S is a plan or top View of the camwheel which operates the pressing devices, and the lever which pushes the bricks out ot the molds.

Figure 8n is a transversel section on line 'y ly of fig. S.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the die, which is to be placed in the base of the pug-mill, fory ing parts in the several figures.

In brick-making machines, as heretofore constructed, great inconvenience has been experienced from the fact that the screw which packs the clay or other material in the moldsremedy the evil above alluded to; and, to this end,

My invention consists in providing a brickmachine with elliptical gear-Wheels or other equivalent devices, and so arranging them that anirregular motion'shall be given to the feeding-screw, such motion being more rapid when the apertures to be filled are under such screw than when the blank parts of the moldwheel are passing such point, thus insuring' the rapid iilling of the molds with the clay or other material which they are to receive, and the proper packing of the same,while, in consequence of the slow movementof the screw, at other times very little downward pressure is caused upon the mold-wheel, or its bearings or supports.

The invention further consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of various parts of the device, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, in the drawings, represents the frame of the machine, which may be of iron, or any other suitable material, and is to be of sufficient strength to sustain the operating parts of the machine. This frame is to be mounted upon a base or bed-plate, A1, to which it is to be secured in any suitable manner.

B represents a pug-mill, which may be of any approved construction, and which, in the present case, is secured to a plate which extends from one side of frame A to the other, upon which it rests.

B1 represents a vertical shaft, which has its bearings in the upper cross-beam of frame A, and in the plate above alluded to, said bearings being so arranged as to sustain the shaft in a vertical and central position within the png-mill.

B2 represents a screw or propeller-wheel, which is to be secured to the lower end of shaft Bi, which arrangement brings said wheel or screw to a position in the lower portion of the puganill, so that, as it is rotated, the clay in such mill is by it forced downward through an aperture in the plate upon which the mill rests, and into the apertures in the molds, as they are successively brought under such plate.

represents an elliptical and eccentricallyhung gear-wheel, which is to be firmly secn red to the upper end of shaft $1.

B4 represents another gear-wheel, similar in all respects to the one above described, it being mounted upon the upper end of a shaft, B5, soon to be described. The arrangement of the above referred to gear-wheels is such that the wheel B4 drives the wheel B3, which is secured to the shaft upon which the screw which fills the mold is placed. It will be observed that, as a consequence of the elliptical form of these wheels, and of their eccentric position with reference to the shafts upon which they are secured, an irregular movement will be given to the screw which fills the molds, it being rapid when such molds are directly under the aperture in the base of the png-mill, thus insuring the close packing of the clay therein, but causing said screw to move with a greatly diminished rate of speed when the blank portions of the mold-wheel are n nder such aperture, which arrangement pre vents the pressing down of the clay upon such blank parts of the wheel, and thus relieves it of a large amount of friction, and from all liability of being broken by such pressure. Other equivalent devices may be used for giving this irregular movement to the feeding-screw, such as connecting-rods so attached to the wheels as to give such irregular motion, or eccentrics may be used for the same purpose. Hence, I do not confine myself to the precise method here shown, but reserve the right to use any equivalent means for producing the desired result.

represents the driving-shaft of the machine, which is a vertical shaft, having its lower end stepped in the base of the machine, while its upper end is held and rotates in a box secured to the frame A nearits top. This shaft is to be provided with any suitable device for receiving from any prime or first mover the power for giving motion to the various parts of the mechanism. This arrangement may consist of a gear-wheel `or pulley, to be placed upon the shaft at any suitable point, either above or below the elliptical wheel Bl.

BG represents a gear-wheel, a portion of the periphery of which is supplied with cogs or teeth for giving motion to the mold-wheel, while the remainder of its surfaceY is left blank for the purpose of allowing such wheel to remain stationary while themolds are being filled. This wheel is to be mounted upon the shaft l55 at such a point as to permit it to mesh with the mold-wheel, and is to have that portion of its surface which is provided with cogs protected with flanges, which proj-ect outward so as to be flush with the outer ends of such cogs. That portion of the periphery of this wheel l which, in its revolutions, first comes in contact with the moldwheel, is to be provided with an enlarged tooth, which may be about twice the size of the other teeth, the object being to provide against the breaking of the teeth of the wheel in starting the mold-wheel from a state of rest. An important feature of this wheel is that the last tooth, or the one which last comes in contact with the teeth of the moldwheel when such wheel is in motion, but is about to come to a state of rest, is eylilnlrieal in form, and is hung upon bearings formed in the flange of the wheel, the object being to prevent the rapid wear at that point, and also to insure an even motion of the moldwheel, and its stoppage at the proper point.

C represents the mold-wheel, which is to be mounted upon a pedestal, C1. Its periphery is to be supplied with teeth or cogs, which are to be of suitable form and size to mesh into the teeth of the driving-wheel B6. These teeth alternate with blanks or enlarged teeth, and blank spaces, which are also formed in the periphery of the mold wheel, which blanks or enlarged teeth are designed to receive the shock of the driving-gear in starting the mold-wheel from a state of rest, while the blank spaces permit the enlarged tooth upon the drivin g-wheel to come in contact with such enlarged teeth. The diameter of this wheel is to be such as to permit of there being formed in it a series of apertures for the reception of the molds into which the clay is packed for the purpose of being afterward pressed into bricks, the thickness of the wheel being equal to the width of the bricks to be formed. The underside of this wheel is to be provided with a boss or projection' which is to enter a recess in the top of the column C1, for the purpose of keeping such wheel in position.

C1 represents a pedestal or column, which is secured to the base of the machine, and which receives into a cavity or recess formed in its upper surface the hub of the mold- Wheel. This pedestal is also to be provided with oil-chambers for the reception of lubrieating matter, so that theA mold-wheel maybe properly lubricated, and thus the necessity of taking the machine apart for that purpose is avoided. p

C2 represents the molds in which the bricks are to be formed, which are to be placed in the apertures formed in the mold-wheel, there being as many sets as there are apertures in said wheel, each set, in an ordinary-sized machine, containing eavities for the formation of four bricks at one time. These molds are so constructed that they can be passed into the apertures in the mold-wheel, and be secured therein by means of a bar of metal, which is to be secured to the under side of the mold-wheel.

C3 represents a series of plungers, which have their bearings in the bar which holds the molds in position. The upper ends of these plungers are provided with heads, the upper surface of which is equal to that of the bricks to be pressed, their depth being sufficient to give the requisite strength, while their lower vertical portions pass through the bar above referred to, and project below the same for a distance sufficient to cause them to be acted upon by a toggle-joint, soon to be described, for the purpose of giving the required pressureto the bricks within the molds, and also for being afterward acted upon to raise the bricks out of the molds in order that they may be carried away by the off-bearer.

C4 represents a platform, the inner end of which is pivoted to the column or pedestal C1, from which point it extends outward for a dist-ance sufficient to enable it to receive upon its upper surface the lower ends of the plungers C3, at which point it is provided in its upper surface with an inclined plane for the reception of a wedge-shaped piece of metal, which is adjustable by means of a set-screw, s) that it may be set so as to give a greater or less amount of pressure to the bricks, as is clearly shown in fig. 3 of the drawings.

C5 represents a toggle-joint, or other equivalent device, the upper end of which is secured to the under side of platform C4, while 'its lower end is attached to the bed-plate of the machine.

C represents a connecting-rod, which extends from the center of the toggle-joint to and connects with the cross-head or slide CT, so that, as such slide is moved by the cam or eccentric CS, the platform C4 will be raised, and the pressure applied to the bricks in the molds C2.

CT represents the cross-head or slide above referred to, it being, in this instance, a rightangled piece of iron, with its horizontal portion working in guides upon the base A1 of the machine, while its outer vertical portion enters an eccentric or cam-shaped grooveformed in the underside of cam-wheel CS, from which it receives its motion.

CS represents a cam-wheel, which is to be secured upon the driving-shaft B5. In the under side of this wheel there is formed a groove, which is eccentric in form,and which receives and gives motion to the cross-head O7. Upon the periphery of this wheel there is formed a series of cam-shaped flanges, as shown in figs. l and 3, the office of which is to give motion to the outer end of a lever for removing the bricks from the molds after they have been pressed.

D represents a lever, which is pivoted to a bracket secured tothe bed or base of the machine, its outer end being supplied with a friction-roller, which works upon the camshaped flanges upon wheel C8, from which it derives its motion, its opposite end extending to and connecting with the table D2.

Dl represents a rod, which is pivoted at one end to the bracket in which lever D is pivoted, while its opposite end is attached to the lower portion of table D2. The office of this rod is to keep the table in a vertical position, or rather to insure the horizontal position of its upper surface while being` moved vertically by the lever D.

D2 represents atable, which rests upon the outer end of lever D, its office being to receive upon its upper surface the lower ends of the plungers C3 as they are brought to that point by the rotation of the mold-wheel, and then, as such wheel comes to a state of rest, to carry such plungers upward fora distance sufficient to cause the bricks to be removed from the molds, the movement for such purpose being imparted to such table by the lever D and cam-wheel CS.

D3 represents a guide through a groove, in the top of which the stems of the plungers pass as they leave the table D2, and which prevents them from falling to their lowest position until they have arrived at t-he position in which the molds are to be refilled.

E represents a cam-wheel, which is to be secured to the driving-shaft B5, it being constructed with a cam-shaped groove in its upper surface for the purpose of giving motion tothe levers which operate the off-bearing mechanism.

El represents a lever, which has a bifurcated inner end which embraces the driving-shaft B5, and is supplied with a friction-roller upon its lower surface which works in the camshaped groove in wheel E, while its outer end is pivoted to the short arm of lever E2, to which it imparts motion.

E2 represents a lever, which is to be pivoted to frame A near one of its ends, its long arm extending to and being connected with t-he off-bearer E3, it being so arranged that its long arm has a movement sufficient for that purpose.

E3 represents a device which has been denominated the off-bearer, it being for the purpose of removing the bricks from the moldwheel after they have been forced out of the molds by the plunger-s C3. This device'consists of a block of metal, to which the outer end of lever E2 is att-ached, it being located directly above the point where the bricks are delivered from the molds, and so arranged that when in its proper position it is within that point in the diameter of the mold-wheel which forms the inside of the apertures for the reception of the molds, so that, as it is moved outward, it shall carry the bricks outward and deliver them into a chute provided for their recept-ion.

, F F represent two rods, which form ways or guides for the off-bearer to slide upon, as

clearly shown in 2 of the drawings, where their arrangement and the manner of securing them in position are clearly shown.

G G represent standards which are secured to the base A1 of the machine, to the up er ends of which a chute is secured, which receives the bricks from theot'f-bearer and conducts them to an endless belt or apron, by which they are carried to any desired locality. From one side of these standards arms project, which form boxes for the journals of a cylinder to rotate in.

H represents a cylinder, which has its bearings in the standards G G. It has upon one of its ends a gear-wheel litted to revolve loosely upon its shaft, and it also has upon the same end a ratchet-wheel and a pawl,

which are held in position bya spring, asv

shown in Iig. 5 of the drawings.

I represents a rack-bar, which is pivoted to the off-bearer at its inner end, while its outer end is supplied with cogs to operate the cylinder H.

K represents an endless belt or apron, onto which the bricks are delivered as they come from the chute, and by which they may be carried to the kiln where they are to be burned, or to any other locality.

The arrangement of the last-named parts, beginning with the cam-wheel E, is such that such wheel imparts motion to the levers E1 and E2, the long arm of the last-named giving motion to the oit-bearer, which takes the bricks from the mold-wheel and delivers them through the chute upon the endless belt, to which motion is imparted by the rack which is secured to the off-bearer, said rack being held in gear with the cylinder by means of a friction-roller placed above it for that purpose.

As a consequence ot the movement bein g imparted to the cylinder by the rack attached to the oli-bearer, the belt is moved a suitable distance at each movement of such devices to carry away as many bricks as are delivered at each movement, and, as a consequence, no rubbing` nor chaiing of their surfaces will occur.

The ratchet-wheel and pawl upon the end of the cylinder serve to insure the proper movement of the cylinder in one direction, and to prevent the possibility of its being rotated in an opposite direction.

L, in ligs. 9 and l0, represents what I shall term a striking-plate, which is to be secured in the base of the pug-mill in such a manner that, as the molds become iilled and start toward the point where the bricks are to be pressed, this peculiarly-shaped plate shall have the effect to compress the material more firmly at the ends of the molds than is done by the screw in iilling the same, and thus leave the bricks of equal solidity throughout when they arrive at the pressing point, which result cannot be accomplished without this device, as in cases where it is not used it is 'found that the material is much more irmly packed in the center of the molds than it is at their ends.

The construction of this striking-plate is clearly shown in the figures above referred to, where it will be seen to consist of a double inclined plane, so arranged that as the molds approach it will have the effect to distribute the material evenly throughout such mold.

IWI represents a plate of metal which covers an aperture in the cross-plate of the machine, directly over the point where the pressure is applied to the bricks. Into this aperture a block or plate of metal is to be fitted, which is to be held in position by means of the plate M and suitable set-screws, the object being to provide means for easily renewing this part ot' the machine as it wears away. It will be seen that, by this arrangement, the block may at any time be taken out and have its lower surface smoothed, or a new one may be substituted. A

N represents a knife, which is to.be secured to the cross-plate of the machine, as shown in figs. 2 and 3, it being for the purpose of cleaning the upper surface of the molds, and the bricks which they contain, of any surplus material that may adhere to them after they have been filled with such material.

The operation of this machine will be as follows:

The parts having been constructed. and arranged as shown, the material is to be placed in the mill and power applied to the. drivingshaft D5, the rotation of which will bring one set of molds under the aperture in the bottom of the mill, when they will come to a state of rest, at which time the screw attains its greatest velocity, it making about threefourths of a revolution while the molds remain stationary, thus insuring their being well filled while the blank portion of the driving-gear is next the mold-wheel.

As soon asthe toothed portion of the driving-wheel comes in contact with the moldwheel, it is partially rotated, and the molds which had previously been filled are carried to the point where the pressure is imparted, and another set ot" molds is brought under the mill to be filled.

During the time that the molds are being lled the cam upon the under side of wheel C8 operates upon the cross-head, and causes motion to be imparted to the toggle-joint, which, in turn, causes the platform C4 to rise up and press against the plungers C3, and thus the bricks which are in the molds at that point lare pressed, when a further rotation ot' the mold-wheel, caused by the teeth or cogs upon the constantly-rotating drivingwheel, 'causes another set of molds to be brought under the pug-mill, and those last filled to be carried to the pressing point, while those that have j ust been pressed are carried to that point, where they are pushed out of the molds and delivered to the olf-bearer by the action of levers D D1 and ,table D2, and the operation is repeated as long as the driving-shaft continues to rotate.

I have described a machine adapted particularly to the making of bricks; but it is apparent that the same principle is applicable to machines designed for tiles and other devices to be made of clay or other plastic material.

Having thus described my invention,

Vhat I claim, and desire to vsecure by Letters Patent, 'isl. In a machine for making bricks and for other similar uses, the combination of a moldwheel having an intermittent motion, and a screw for iilling the molds having an irregular mot-ion, or a motion which gives it a greater velocity when the molds are being filled than it has when the blank portions of the mold-wheel are passing under such screw, substantially as and for the purpose speciied.

2. The combination of the oit-bearer E3, cylinder H, and rack-bar I, when arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The construction of the striking-plate L, and its combination with the mold-wheel, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The construction and arrangement of the cam-Wheel CS, levers D D1, and table D2, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination and arrangement of the platform C4, toggle-jointed lever C5, and plungers C3, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

G. The combination and arrangement of the cam-Wheel C8, cross-head 0"', connecting rod C, toggle-joint C5, and platform C4, suhstantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciiication in the presence two subscribing Witnesses.

CIIAS. D. WTRIGHTINGTON. iVitnesses:

STILLMAN B. ALLEN, EWD. E. BONNE, Jr. 

